Sorting machine



Aug. 14,1928. 1,680,880

- R. C. HARTRAMPF ET AL SORTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 13, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 14, 1928.

R. C. HARTRAMPF ET AL SORTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 13,1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 55 33 75 35 Fi flll amnion;

Aug. 14, 1928.

,R. C. HARTRAMPF ET AL SORTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 13, 1927 Y 4 Shoots-Shoat 3 Aug. 14, 1923.

R. C. HARTRAMPF El AL SORT ING MACHINE Filed Aug. 13; 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet a? a v Patented Aug. 14, 1928.

UNI ED STATES PATEN I ROBERT cinanrmnrr AND OTTO B. HARTRAMP OF HILLSBORO, OREGON.

Somme mcmnn Application filed August 13, 1927. Serial No. 212,750.

This inventionfrelates tosorting machines for sorting fruits, vegetables, or other articles and is a continuation in part of our pending application, Serial Number 58,425, tiied September 24, 1925.

One object of our invention is to provide a ,m'achine which may be conveniently changed so as to sort articles byweightor by size, at will. V

A further object of our invention is to provide a sorting machine with means for carrying the articles to be sorted on the side only of one endless belt and also for facilitating thereby desirable functions. 7 A further object of our invention is to provide an article-container of distinctive novelty in respect to its functions, construction, and mode of operation.

()ther. objects of our invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art from the specification which follows and are therefore deemed unnecessary to enumerate.

What constitutes our invention will be 'i iercinafter specified in detail and succinctly defined in theiippended'claims. V i

In the accompanying drawings, showing our invention in present preferred form of emijiodiment,

Figure I is a plan view of our machine complete, save for the omission ofthe. feed appe 1 r 1 Figure II is a plan view of the feed hopper, omitted from the preceding figure.

Figure III .isa vertical cross sectional view, partly in elevation, substantially on line IIl.-III of Figure I, with parts broken away. l r i s Figure IV is a longitudinal sectional view, partly in elevation, takenonthe lineIV-IV of Figure I. in order to illustrate details of article distributing mechanism. 7

Figure V is a view similar to the last, taken on the line V,-V of Figure I.

Figure VI is a top plan view of a portion of the endless chain carrier of our machine showing details of one form of supporting means for one of our article-containers therein shown byway of example. 1 v

Figure VII a side elevation of a porbut indicatin three other the performance of certain trated in Figure VIII, but

"inspection table2 which is tion of the machine set for sorting articles by'size, and taken on section line VII-FVII of Figure VI.

FigureVIII is a sectional view taken'on the line VIIL-VIII of Figure VI, showing fifi the one article-container thereof in the closed position. 7 I t Figure IX is a top plan detail view of our machine showing only one article-container V and modified actuating mechanism" therefor, Q

h article-containers which are omitted. y I

Figure X is a side elevation, partly in section, of a portion of the subject matter of FigureI g i (9 Figure XI isa section on the line XIQ-XI' of Figure IX, sliowing'modified form of trip lever and its co-operative guide. for

actuating it.

Figure XII is a similar view showing one of the article-containers in open position, i and showing the directly related parts of the modified form of supporting 'a nd carrying mechanism.

Figure XIII is a vertical diametrical section of one'of the article-containers detached from all of the related mechanism.

Figure XIV is a detached horizontal section of theform of article-container illusdistinguished 80 therefrom by showing the article-container thereof in the open position. I f j Referring to the reference numerals on the drawings, 1 indicates a hopper arranged at one end of the machine, from which the 86 articles tobe sorted are delivered to an erative communication with the hopper." Inspection tables are well known in the art,

and any suitable'typeof table be employed in our machine. v The purpose of inspection tables gem ally, as it is in the present instance, isto subject the articles to be sorted to inspection and to the opportunity thereby afforded for 9 selection of them by hand in order to grade. them by quality before they are delivered preferred may 90 to the operation of the sorting machine for distributing by size or weight. The'table 2 preferablycompri'ses two travelling horizondisposed in'op- 1 tally disposed endless belts 3, from which articles are transferred by hand to discharge chutes 5, 6, 7 and '8, of which four, for example only, are shown. Said chutes extend endwise from the hopper 1 into operativelrelationship to the sorting mechanism hereinafter. specified, and deliver each its contents,'to one side or other of the machine, into article-containers 9 which preferably are expansible and contr'actible. An intermediate return chute a is also shown.

The bottom of each of the discharge chutes consists preferably of an endless conveyor belt 10 which, passing over a suppbrtingbacking strip 11, is driven endwise of the chutes by anysuitable driving'mecha- 'nism. I Such driving mechanism may com rise,- for example, transverse parallel rollers 12 and 13, disposed in operative terminal relationship to the strip 11, in combination "ith guide rollers 14 and 15am a driving roller 16, which, being in operative communication with a motor, not illustrated, en-

gages a loop of the belt lOprovided for the chute Sbetween the said guide rollers as shown in Figure IV. q

The belts 3 of the table 2 are preferably (disposed therein on opposite sides, respectively, of the assemblage of discharge chutes inoperative propinquity to the hopper 1, andjconstitute, conveyors for the table 2. T y articles supplied to them from thehopper and to display them in onelayer so that, upon inspection,,theymay be sorted and distributed by hand to, the respective discharge chutes selected;

The belts 3 and 10 except the' one last above mentioned are driven by any suitable driving mechanism, such for example as that shown, in part, in Figure V. With the omisv$1011 of the guide roller 14 for causing the belt 3 to make a sharp back turn in their travel below thebelt, said driving mechams m is substantially the same as that illustrated in Figure IV already described. Each one .of the discharge chutes 5, 6, 7 and 8- as. man aslnay be employed--is provided at its dlscharge endwith a box-like member which is designateda loader. All the loaders bein substantially identical, they are, in-

A dicated I ythe numeral 17 without distinction, c

In the preferred'form of embodiment of our invention machine comprises a pair of sidebeams 20 (see'Figues Iand III) which are suitably spaced apart in parallel longitudinal relat1onship,-and are, by any suitable means, not illustrated, supported at a convenient height above the floor on which the machine, rests.

I Theyinay be made of anysuitable material "such, forexample,.as wood or metal, and are provided, respectively, with grooves 21 in are of suitable width to accommodate FigureI, wherein an example of a full herein illustrated, the sorting ends of the machine, asshown in Figure I,

to carry the sprocket chain aforesaid, with the links 22 of which the teeth of said sprocket wheels respectively intcrmesh.

Line of the sprocket wheels, 24 for instance, is an idler, which a mere post' 26 may revolubly carry. The wheel is the driving wheel for the carrier and is rotated by any preferred form of driving mechanism, unnecessay to illustrate or describe in detail] A special reas'onfor the preference expressed above for the use of a sprocket chain form of flexible carrier above named, in addition to those offered by its many recognized mechanical advantages, is that said chain may be made easily separable into desired lengths by aid of the links 22. Thereby, a chain carrier may be easily increased or diminished in length bymere addition or subtraction of links as occasion ma demand. Consequentlythe capacity 0 any given machine may be varied, at will, simply by variation of the length of the side-beams 20, to accommodate suchlength of the sprocket chain as it maybe dcsirable to employ. For the accomplishment of that end, our invention comprehends the manufacture of the said side-beams in sections of convenient standard lengths each sectionbeing provided with terminal flanges 28 for securing one section to another in end to end abutment, .as shown for example only, in Figure 3..

The article-containcrs 9 are illustrated as carried by the sprocket chain aforesaid, each container being operatively connected with anyprede'termined link 22 thereof, whereby. said containers may be secured to the chain at equallyspaced mtervals, as indicated in complement of containers is illustrated. The

tripping mechanism by which each of said containers is made to operate when secured torts link COITIPI'ISQS, a suitable supporting member,

which is shown, for example, in

Figures VI, VII, VIII and XIV, and which preferably consists of a supporting arm herein; identified as a whole by its constituent elements, namely, terminal portions 29 and 30 and an intermediate portion 31. The

' portion 29 at one end of said arm is in effect The part 31 ofsaid supporting arm, extending substantially at right angles to the said rock shaft 29, is arranged parallel tothe adjacent'sidebeam of the machine, so as to extend longitudinally above an elongated sheltextension 36 which is preferably made a. part of the bracket 32, and ishprovided with aligning members 34 and 35 for bolding the member 31 in proper alignment to the extension 36; The said terminal ortion of said' arin, formed by a bend in t e arm or other vise as shown .in Figures VI, VII andVIII, constitutes a direct support for a container 9, and is, for that purpose, preferably provided at itsouter end with a pintlering 37, which may be secured to or made one side of each segment, and one from the opposite side thereof are adapted to slidingly engage the two next adjacent segments on each side of each individual segment.

The assemblage of a complement of segments just described constitutes a pendant pocketlike container as above. stated and the effect of the mode of assemblage specified is to cause all the segments thereof to move in unison upon actuation of any individual segn ient on its bearing 39. ,Such movement of a segmentv towards the centralaxisof the conical container 9 tends to efiect closure of coi'itainer. whilemovement of anysegment away from said axis opens the container. :The actuation of all the segments being thus; made dependent upon the, motion of any one'of them, any one of the segments may serve as the prime mover to-all-of them. The downward conical taper of the container elfects thefgradual descent into the container of an article within it according to size of the article and a final dischargetherefrom of an article of maximum size, only when the container is fully open. Each container 9 is adapted through its conical shapeto perform the function of centering to the container an article contained within it, Theefi'ect in sorting "articles by weight is to dispose the center of gravity of the articlein the container with substantial accuracy In sorting articles by size the segments of each container operates with caliper effect on an article contained therein so as to gauge its size with accuracy.

[A triplever 46 for the container, as it is Ishownin the device illustrated in the figures last named, is provided as means for actuating the master segment. It is pivotally mounted on the terminal portion 30 of the container-supporting-arin, and is, as by a spring 47, yieldingly held in normal operative position thereon for actuating the master segment in one-direction as hereinafter described. Said spring is shown, by

way of example, as one coiled around said terminal portion 30, and having its one end 48 secured to the lever 46 and its other end 49 secured to the terminal portion 30. A protective smooth-surfaced cover for the spring 47 is provided as a bearing member, preferably. in the form of an enveloping sleeve 50, J

On the terminal portion 30, is also mounted a pair of cams 52 and 53, either of which, by rotative movement imparted to one or the other, may be made, by movement of the trip lever 46, to engage and actuate the master segment through its extension 45. One of said cams being employed to close the article-container 9 when the machine is sortingby size, and the other being employed to close the article-container when the machine is sorting by weight, the cams are made alternately operative, that is to say, only one at a time. The cam 52 is the one employed toclose the containers when the machine is sorting by size. It is, 'for operative reasons, made of wider transverse extent than the cam 53, and is provided with a relatively long gradual cam face 55. The second, cam 53 being narrower than the cam .52, as

shown by comparison of Figures VI, VII

and VIII, isbrought into requisitiononly when the machine is sorting by weight and when the cam 52 is moved out of-its way.

It is mounted on the member 30 preferably between the cam 52 and the projection 45.

and is provided with an abrupt or relatively short cam face 57 as shown in Figures VI and VII. Either one of the cams, for ex ample the cam 52 is, as shown in Figure VII, provided with an. arcuate; slot 59 adapted to receive a set screw 60, carriedby the other cam, say 53, in a convenientlv accessible position to permit relative adjustment of the said cams. lVhen either of the cams-is moved to inoperative position the other thereby becomes operative, and ad justment in desired position is secured by the said screw 60. v

On opposite sides, respectively, of the machine, we provide below the line of travel of the containersa plurality of bins 61 and wdescribed,owe provide, for eachbin, upon the sides, of the respective s1de-beams20,

fixed plates 63, each having a vertically'disposed slot 64 therein anda suitable trip member 65 that isadapted to be adjustably fixed in-said slot, as shown for examplein Figure VII. The successive trip members 65 are,'by their proper adjustments, respectively, adapted to be made to engage, in efiect,".the'successive trip levers 46 in their travel, irrespective of whether themachine issorting by size or. by weight. m

For adapting the machine for the sorting of articles by weight, each of the plates 63 is provided at its upper end with a fixed horizontal guide plate 66rhaving an opening therein for the reception and guidance ofa vertical arm 68. Each arm 68 is surmounted by and united to an elongated weighing platform 69, and is pivotally connected, as indicated at 71, to a scale beam 70 which is in turn fixedly fulcrumed'to' the plate 63, as at 72, each ofthe scale beams having an adjustable poise 73;

When the machine is sorting articles by size, the trip members 65 are severally adjusted at different levels in their respective slots 64. They are,- by preference, in the operation of sorting articles by size, operatively connected one to another in their order of succession bytracks 7 5 (See Figure VII), upon which the trip levers 46 successively may ride in the travel of the endless carrier identified by the links 22 which it preferably comprises. The tracks 7 5 are, byproper adjustment of their terminal supporting members 65 at'diiferent heights, in-

'clinedfrom the horizontal, so thatthey will spectively, when the machineis'sorting by size. In such case, the function of the respective catches 76 is to prevent vertical uplift, under impulse of'thetrip levers 46, of the article-container that is confined by its respective catch. It will be noted that by reason of the pivotal connection of the container 9 to the endless carrier, that the former maybe moved into'an inoperative position so as not to be'actuated by the trip mechanism. i

In Figures IX, X, XI, and no catch 76 is shown, because the weight of the container and contents may supply'its place tohold down the member 31 In all instances.

The above described triptpingmechanism may be. conveniently ident1 ed by the presence of the-trip lever 46 as forming a part,

"Lesass'o thereofj A modification of the tripgpipg mechanism is illustrated in Figures I XI and XII. In that modification, the

same form of container 9 is preferably employed as in the other form, and likewise a substantially identical supporting arm therefor is used. The parts of said sup portingarm are, for convenience, indicated, respectively, by numerals 79, 80, and 81, though they are, in effect, the same elements previously indicated, respectively, by numerals 29, 30, and 31.

In the figures last enumerated the element 80 is shown as threaded to a boss 84, projecting from the master segment identilied forthe instance by numeral 86,1and as supported by a side-beam 20, sous to render the container 9, in operation, pendent from the member'80.

Adjacent to the boss 84 a finger 87 extends from a rigid connection with the pintle ring 37 (compare Figures XI and XII). The said finger is yieldingly held in vertical position by a tensile spring 89 fastenedat its opposite ends, respectively, to the said linger and to the member 80. Its free end laterally engages in operation (see Figures IX, X, XI, and XII) a stationary actuating rail 90. The finger 87 is contradistinguished from the trip lever 46, for which the finger 87 is substituted in the modification under present consideration, by being made subject to lateral actuation instead of the actuation in a vertical plane by the trip lever 46. Also the rail 90 is, in eifect, ,a trip member for the finger 87.

Said rail is fixed at one end to an eyelet bolt 91 to which its connection is made pivotal for purpose of adjustment hereinafter explained. "The bolt 91 penetrates an aperture provided for it in the beam 20, whereto it is fixed as by nuts 92 and 93 threaded to'the bolt and disposed on opposite sides of said beam. A takeoff strip 95 from the rail 90 is pivoted to the said rail at one end, 'as indicat'ed at 96,, to a bearing piece 97 provided as by a bend in said rail.

Normally, the free end of the strip 95 is yieldingly pressed against the beam 20 as by a spring 99 coiled about the bearin piece97and operatively secured at one end to it and at the other end to the strip 95.

The function of thestrip 95 is to afford an adjustable inclined plane, as shown in Figure IX, for the free end of the finger 67 to ride upon for closing the container 9 1n the operation of themachine. The end of the rail 90 which carries the bearing piece 97 is supportedby an eyelet-bolt 100 which is held, as shown in Figure X, between nuts 101 and 102, threaded to said bearing piece. The stem of the bolt 100 may be secured, as shown in Figure IX, by nuts 103 and 104 disposed on opposite sides of the beam 20 and threaded to said stem.

finger 87,after passing the end of the rail l 90 which is supported by the bolt 100.

At the opposite end of the rail 90 from that which the eyebolt 100 supports, there threaded to the inner, end of the bolt 108,

is provided a uide strip 106which is, as indicated at 107, secured to and fulcrumed upon a tension bolt 108 that extends through an aperture in the beam 20. A nut 109 secures, between itand the beam 20, an expensive spring 110 coiled about the bolt 108.

The purpose and efiect of the spring 110 is yieldingly and adjustably to draw the free end 111 of the guide strip 106 into firm contact with the bent end 112 of the rail 90, by which said rail is fastened to the eyebolt 91, preferably in like manner as its other end is coupled to the eyebolt 100.

The strip 106 may be turned on its belt 108 as shown in Figure X.

In combination with the modification-of the tripping mechanism last described, we may employ a modified weighing mechanism instead of that previously described comprising a lifting lever 115,- over which the member travels when the machine is in operation of sorting by weight. The lever 115 is pivoted to the beam 20 as indicated at 116. A rotatable stop piece 117 also is fixed to the beam in the ath of movement of the lever 115 which 1s yieldingly drawn againstthe stop piece as by a tensile weighing springq118. which is fastened at one end to thesaid'lever and at the other with means of tensionadjustment 119 tothe beam 20. The stop piece 117 in one position serves to hold the lever 115 flush with the top of the beam 20 as shown in dottedlines in Figure X. In its other position itpermitsthe 1W6! 115to assume, with weighing effect, the position shown in full lines in said figure.

Besides what is already specified, it should be added that we prefer to use above each of the side beams 20 an aligningrail 120,

each of which, at intervals alongthe beam 20 is supported by bent arms 121 uponwhich the rails 120, respectively, are mounted and fastened to the beams 20. Each rail 120 S designed and adapted to engage the tops of one line of the .lugs 35 ofthe brackets 32 so as to compel the brackets to maintain substantially true horizontal alignment duringthe travel of the carrier in its respective grooves 21.

Moreover, the loader 17 aforesaid, and its operation, require further description. The oiiice of each loader of WhlCh, as previously specified, one is provided for each of the discharge chutes, is to deliver articles to the containers 9 in regular succession of travel. For effecting such delivery, each loader is preferably provided with a flexible sheet as of fabric, preferably canvas as shown in Figures III and IV. Each sheet of fabric issupported on opposite sides by frame pieces 124i and 125, so as to form be-.- tween them a depending flexible trough 126. into which the articles to be sorted are discharged from the chute appropriated to any, given loader 17. The frame piece 125 is suitably fastened to a beam 20,. the piece 124 being carried by the piece 125 by means of overhanging supports 128 and 129, the latter being of a sufficient height above the trough 126 for clearance of articles contained in said trough. The piece 12 1 preferably consistsof a padded shelf upon which articles may be gently dropped from the discharge chute communicating-therewith.

The bottom of each depending trough 126 makes contact with the tops of the bearings 39 of the respective containers 9 as they;

travel in continuous successionunderneath them. The pintle rings 37 are slightly uptilted on. one side as indicated in Figure IV- with the effect of dividing the flexible bottom portion 126 of each apron into ridges 130 formed in the fabric of the apron by presence underneath it of the bearings: 39.

Said ridges serve, each as a sort of dam, to i hold the articles apart while they are traveling in thetrough of. the apron, and to drop themone by one into the containers 9 preparatory to the sorting operation of the machine. A terminal skirt 132 at the discharge end of the trough 126-serves to deposit each article as itleavestheloader 17 gently and, with certainty into the container 9 which is.

presented for its reception.- v 7 Description of operation follows:

The machine embodying the tripping mechanism shown in Figures VI, .VII, and

VIII, for instance, when employed for sort- .115

mg bysize, operates as follows. r

The cam 52 is in such case the operative v cam, and the cam 53 isvmovedto its inoperative positionwherein it is secured by ad- V justment of the set screw 60 at theupper end of the arcuate slot 59. In said positions of the cams 52 and 53 the face of the cam 52 extends {beyond the face of the cam 53 and j thereby excludes the cam 53 from contact 'iDgoperatiOn withIt-he extension 45. The

construction of the article-containers as specified is such as to impart, at all times;

to thesegmentsfcomposing them a constant fl tendency to assume an open posit on, preferably under action of gravity;,but either "one'or other of the cams 52 and 53 by engagement with the projection 45 of the master segment, operates to counteract that tendency by causing the master segment to swing upon its bearing 39.

The eifect of said swinging movement of 'the master segment is to cause, in the manner already described, the segments to move towards the position for closing the articlecontainer, as shown, for example, in Figure VIII. When the trip lever 46 moves either one of its cams out of engagement with the "so imparted, and the weight of the article extension 45, the article-container, which the said extension actuates, is'thereby made free toflopen to the extent permitted by the degree of rotative motion of the lever 46 the container holds causes proportionate 'movement of the lower endsof all'the segments 38"outwardly towards the ultimate position occupied by them when the con- 'tainer is open When "the opening of the container so effected is sufficient to permit the article the container holds to pass ut of the container, said article will drop into .that one'of the bins 61 or 62'that is selected by the sorting operation of the machine.

Each article-container, as it approaches, inthe travel of its carrier, a trip member 65 will'present its trip lever 46 tentatively to said trip member, which, it properly ad- I trip lever to its normal position, thereby closing the container so that it will then be ready immediately to receive another article to be'sortcd' by size inlike manner.

The trip members 65, of which one is shown in Figure VII of 'the drawings, are

preferably connected successively by tracks 75 so that when an article-container is partially opened -but insufliciently to drop its contents'in passing over one of the trip members 65, it will be, by coaction between its trip lever 46 and "the track 75, retained in that partially opened position until it finds a trip member or portion of a track 75 gthat is set high enough to actuate the lever '46 to a sufficient extent'to permit its containerf) to drop its contents. y

Uponmechanical selection of one bin for each size of article, depends the performance of the sorting function of the machine.

Said selection of bins, in sorting articles by size, is effected as af r y p vi of t l ti it between the length of'the'several tracks 75 and the width of each bin. Uponreferen'ce to FignrefV'II,

the 'lengthofthe' section of each track 75 being'understood to be substantially equal to the width of the bin it "is intended to serve, it will be'obvious to one skilled in the ,art that. every time an, article of a size proper to be released by actuation of a certain trip lever 46 through its engagement with a. determinate section of the track 75 is present, the occurrence of such engagement will cause said article to drop into the bin which thattrack section serves and into no other.

It should also be observed, upon reference to Figure VII, that simply by the adjustment of any pair of the two track-supporting trip members65 to thesame level, the cfi'ect will be to amplify the stretch of any one track section 75 to the length of two, thereby appropriating two bins, for example, instead of one for the reception of articles of one size. In this manner extension of thetrack sections to any extent desired may be effected. This will be recognized as an advantage where the articles to be sortedrun so largely to one size as to require increased bin capacity for the reception' otarticles of that size.

When sorting is to be made by weight instead of by size as we have just described, each lever arm 31 or 81, as may be employed, is released from its catch 76, and the cam 53 is, instead of the cam 52, moved to take operative position as shown in Fig ures IX and X of the drawings, it being observed that the arm 81 is, in effect, the same as the arm 31, and that it is interchangeable therewith in all forms of the machine. The article-containers 9 are thereby made free to move about the axis of the rock-shaft 29 of the supporting arm, but the downward movement of the lever arm 31 andof the article-containerv carried by its terminal extension 30 is limited by the shelf-extension 36 of the bracket 32.

\Vhen sorting of articles by weight is to be made,the trip members .65 are all adjusted to the same height in their respective slots 64. "The noises 73 are, in sorting by weight, variously adjusted on the scale beams 70, respectively, so that different weights must be placed on the diiierent plates 69 so as to causethem, rcspctivelyQto be moved downwardly under a predetermined superposed weight; As oftcnas an article-container passes, .in effect. over one of the plates 69, the sleeve 50 thereof rides on the run,

said plate. It now the weight otthe content of said container islsufiicient to over- ,Come the weight of thepoise 73 in the downwardly and permit downward move:

ment of the article-container. affected, to-

gether with its trip lever 46. This down- -ward movement, it suilicient tobrino; the

said trip lever into engagement with the lllfl trip member 65 next in order, will cause the said trip lever toswing on its bearing piece 30 in the arc of: a circle, thereby cau ing the face ofthe cam 53 to recede from the projection 45 of the master segment, thereby permitting the said segment and all the segments which the master se ment controls, as aforesaid, to fall by gravity with consequent opening of'the article-container and dropping of its contents. After such engagement between the trip leverv and the trip member is effected by thetravel of the carrier, the spring 4-7 returns the trip lever to its normal position, and the face of the cam 53 will reengage theprojection 45 to close the article container through actuation by the master segment, in the manner heretofore described. Y v

The machine whose operation has just been described is one embodying the form of tripping mechanism in which is included the trip 1ever46 which functionates by movement in a vertical plane. The tripping mechanism which functionates by a swinging movement of the finger 87, as will appear upon comparison of F igures XI and XII in view of the previous specification, in sorting articles by size, effects the openingof an article-container by lifting of the container to an inclined position as shown in Figure XII.

It may be understood from the foregoing description that articles may thus be "sorted into the bins 60 or 61 either by size or weight and thence removedfor packing and shipment. It should be observed from the foregoing description that by certain simple adjustments, the machine may be readily converted from one which sorts articles by size to one which sorts them by, weight, or in reverse order, at will. a

It is to be understood that the form of embodiment of our inventionherein shown and described is only that at present preferred, and that many changes in respect to shape, size and relative arrangements of parts, for example, are contemplated as within the scope ofthe invention as defined in the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a sorting. machine,thefcombination with its frame, an endless flexible carrier, and carrierdriving mechanism, of article: containers operatively communicating at spaced intervals with the carrier and extending outwardlyfromthe side thereof, said containers consisting each of a. ring, a plurality of depending clip members pivotally mounted on said ring, and means actuated by the straight travel of thecarrier for swinging the clip members on their supporting ring for opening and closing the article-container. y i

2. Ina sorting machine, thecombination with its frame, an endless flexible carrier, and earrierdriving mechanism, of articlecontainers operatively communicating at spaced intervals with the carrier and extend ing outwardly ,from the side thereof, said ring. a plurality of containers consisting each of a rin a plurality of depending clip memberspivotally mounted on said ring, and means actuated by travel of the carrier for swinging the clip members on their supporting ring for opening and closing the article-container, said means consisting'of an operative trip lever provided for each container, and a trip member on the frame in operative coacting relationship to its appropriate trip lever.

33. In a sortingmachine, the combination. with its frame,.an endless flexible carrier, and carrier driving mechanism, ofrarticlecontainers 'operatively communicating at spaced intervals with the carrier and extending outwardly from. the side thereof, said container consisting each of a ring, a plurality of depending. clip members pivotally ated by travel of the carrier for swinging the clip members on their suporting ring for opening and closing the article-container, said means consisting of an operative trip a lever provided for each container, and a trip member on the frame in coactive operative relationship only to its appropriate trip lever.

at. In a sorting machine, the combination with its frame, an endless flexible carrier, and carrier driving mechanism, of articlemounted on said ring, and means actucontainers normally in a fixed position relative to thecarrier and operatively communi cating at spaced intervals therewith and extending outwardly from the side thereof, and means provided for each container thatare adapted to open and close it under actuation. effected by the travel of the carrier.

5. In a sorting machine, the combination with its frame, an endless flexiblecarrier,

and carrier driving mechanism, of article--- containers operatively communicating at,

spaced intervals with the carrier, and ex-,..

tending outwardly from the side thereof, said containers consisting each. of a pintle depending clip members pivotally mounted on said ring, and means actuated by travel of the carrier for swinging the clip members on said ring foropening and closing the article-containers, said means consisting of an operative tripv lever provided for each container, and a "trip member on the frame incoacting operative 4 relationship to its appropriate trip lever, said trip member being vertically adjustable at will.

6. In a sorting machine, the combination with. its frame, an endless flelvible carrier,

and carrier driving mechanism, of articlecontainers operatively ..communicating at spacedlntervals Wit-ll the earner and extend ing' outwardly from the side thereof said;

containers consisting each of a. ring, rality 0f depending clip members pivotally mount-ed on said ring, by travel of the carrier for swinging the clip and means actuated i members on said ring for opening and closmg the article-container, said means consisting of an operative trip lever provided for each container, a trip member on-the frame in coacting operativerelationship to track sections by corresponding adjustment of the respective supportingtrip members.

'8. In a'sorting machine, the combination with its frame, carrier, and carrier driving mechanism, of article-containers each comprising clip members horizontally pivoted, respectively, tothe carrier, means for each article-container actuated by travel of the carrier for opening and closing said clip members, said means comprising coacting members on the frame and on the carrier,

respectively, that are adaptedto be -ren-' dered inoperative by lifting at will any article-container on its pivotal connection with the carrier.

9. In a sorting machine, the combination with its frame, carrier, and carrier driving mechanism, of article-containers each'comprising movable clip members, means for each container actuated by the travel of the carrier for opening and closing a container by movement ofits said clip members, said means including the employment of one clip member as a prime mover adapted to open and close all the clip members, and means for actuating said prime mover.

10. In asorting machine, the combination with its frame, carrier, and carrier driving mechanism, of article-containerseach comprising movable clip members, means for each container actuated by the travelof the carrier for opening and closing a container by movement of'it-s said clip members,, said means including the employment of one clip member as a prime mover adapted to open and close all clip members, and means for actuatingsaid prime mover, sa'id'last named means comprising a movable trip lever for each article-container,-a coacting trip member therefor fixedtothe frame, a projection on the prime mover, and a cam carried by the trip: lever in operative propinquityto said projection.

11. In as sortingmachine, the combination with its frame,carrier, and carrier driving mechanism, of article containers each comprising movable clip members, means for each container actuated by'the travel of the carrier, for opening and closing a container by movement of its said clip members, said means including the employment of one clip member as a prime mover adapted to open and close allfclip members, and means for actuating said prime mover, said last named means comprising a movable trip lever for each article-container, a coacting trip member therefor fixed to the frame, a projection on the prime mover, and a plurality of relatively adjustable cams carried by the trip lever and adapted by their relative adjustment, at will, to operatively engage said projection.

12. In a sorting machine, the combination with its frame, carrier, and carrier driving mechanism, of spaced article-containersin operative communication with the carrier each comprising movable clip members, means for opening and' closing said clip members comprising a trip lever for each article-container, and trip members on the frame, a bin, and a track section of a length corresponding to the width of the bin connecting trip members and affording an extended supporting member for the trip lever.

13. As a member ofa sorting machine, an article container consisting of the combination of an annular pintle-support, and a series of clip members pivoted thereon, with cooperative members on said respective members adapted to operatively engage their next adjacent members for imparting the movement of one of said members to all of them simultaneously.

14. In a sorting-machine, the combination with a frame, an endless carrier, and brackets mounted at spaced intervals on said carrier, of a container supporting-arm pivotally mounted in eachof said brackets, an articlecontainer carried each by one of said arms, means for locking said arms, respectively, in one position, a trip lever carried by each of said arms, and trip members operativcly disposed in the path of said trip levers.

15. In a sorting machine, the combination with a frame, a plurality of article-contaiuers, each comprising an arm, a pintlc ring onthe end of said arm, a plurality of dependingsegments arranged on said ring and adapted to be opened by gravity, a trip lever carried by each of said arms, means controlled by said trip lever for normally rctaining each of said containers inclo'sed pm IOU sition, trip members operatively disposed in the path of said trip levers, and an endless driven carrier in operative communication with the article-containers for imparting consecutive motion to them. ii

16. Ian sorting machineythe combination with a frame, of a plurality of article-containers, each comprising an arm, a pintle ring on the end of said arm, a plurality of depending segments arranged on said ring and adapted to be opened by gravity, a trip lever carried by each of said arms, cams carried by said trip levers to normally retain said containers in closedposition, trip members operativelydisposed in the path of said trip levers, and an endless driven carrier in operative communication with the articlecontainers for imparting con ecutive motion to them.

177 A machine constructed in accordance with claim 16 wherein one segment oi fiitl'll article-container adjacent to said cam is provided with a projection adapted to be engaged thereby, and each of said segments is provided with wings adapted to engage the next adjacent segments to move all of them to closed positions.

18. In a sorting machine, the combination with its frame, of a plurality of article-containers, an endless carrier therefor on which said containers are severally mounted, a trip lever carried by each of said containers, respectively, a weighing platform, a scale beam operativelyconnected to said platform, a poise adjustably mounted on said beam, a trip member for each container disposed adjacent said platform and adapted to be engaged by said trip lever when the weight of said container is sufficient to depress said platform.

19. In combination with a sorting" machine, a frame, an endless carrier associated with the frame, expansible and contractible containers having supporting arms extending therefrom, means pivotally connecting the end portions of each of said arms to the carrier, and means for actuating the. containers to empty the contents thereof at predetermined points in their path of-travel.

20. In combination with a sorting -machine, a frame, an endless carrier associated with the frame, expansible and'contraotible containers having supporting arms extend ing therefrom, means pivotally connecting the end portions of each of said arms to the carrier, meansfor maintaining said arms in fixed position relative to the carrier, and

means for actuating the containers to empty the contents thereof at predetermined points in their path of travel.

21. In combination with a sorting machine, a frame, an endless carrier associated with the frame, expansible and contrac-tible containers having supporting arms extending therefrom, means pivotally connecting the inner end portions of each of said arms to the carrier, means normally maintaining said containers in their closed position, and means for opening the containers at predetermined points in their path of travel.

22. In combination with a sorting ma chine, a frame, an endless flexible carrier associated with the frame, expansible and contract-ible Containers, each of said conpivotallv tainers consisting of a ring, a plurality of depending clip members pivotally'mounted on the ring, means pivotally connecting the r ng to the carrier, means for normally main taining the clip members in their closed posit on, and means for opening the clip members at predetermined points in their path of travel.

23. In combination with a sorting machine, a frame, an endless carrier associated with the frame, article containers pivotally connected to the carrier, means for emptying the contents of each container,-means operable by the size of the article for actuating said first mentioned means, means operable by the weight of the article for actuating said first mentioned means, and means for selectively sorting the articles in the containers either by size or weight.

2- In combination with a sorting ma chine, a frame, an endless carrier. associated with the frame, expansible and contractible containers pivotally connected to the carrier, means for emptying the contents of each container at predetermined points in its path of travel, means operable by the size of the article for actuating said first mentioned means, means operable by the weight of the article for actuating said first mentioned means, and means for selectively sorting the articles in the containers either by size or weight.

25. In combination with a sorting machine, a frame, an endless carrier associated with the frame, article containers connected from, means for actuating the article containers to empty the contents thereof at pre determined points in their pat-h of travel, delivery chutes communicatingwith a source of supply of articlesto be sorted and with said article containers, and a leader for each delivery chute positioned at one end thereof and in communication with article containers, each loader comprising a flexible trough having its bottom in contact with the tops ofthe containers, said containers being tilt-ed at one side so as to produce article spacing ridges in the bottom of the trough.

26. In combination with a sorting machine. a frame, an endless carrier associated with the frame, article containers connected to said carrier and extending laterally there from, means for actuating the article containers to empty the contents thereof at predetermined points in their path of travel, delivery chutes communicating with a source of supply of articles to be sorted and with said article containers, a loader for each delivery chute positioned at one end thereof to said carrier and extending laterally there I and in communication with the article containers, and a flexible skirt at one end of the loader for discharging the contents thereof to the container. p

27. In combinatloa wlth a sor g ma chine, acarrier element, means for discharg on the carrier element either by size or ing anarticle from the carrier element, Weight, l means operable by the size of the article In testimony whereof, we have hereunto for actuating said first mentioned means, set our hands. -5 means operable b the weight of the article I fer, actuating said first mentioned means, ROBERT C. HARTRAMPF. and means for selectively sorting the article OTTO B. HARTRAMPF. 

